Word One: Speaking God’s Truth in Love (Pentecost 6B OT)

Text: Ezekiel 2:1-5 for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost, Lectionary Series B

OBJECTIVES

Participants will:

Gain a deeper understanding of God’s love for all those separated from Him because of sin.

Grow in their understanding that as redeemed children of God, Christ is calling them to speak the truth in love as Ezekiel did to others separated from Him.

MATERIALS NEEDED

Bibles
Paper
Pencils

GROUP GUIDELINES

Divide into groups of 6-8 people. Choose as leader the person who has most recently received a letter or email containing some good news. The leader’s sole purpose is to keep the group moving through the Bible study. One of the leader’s most important functions is to encourage the participation of all group members. Remember that group members have the freedom to pass if they do not wish to share.

BUILDING COMMUNITY

Share a time in which you either shared some good news or bad news with someone else? What was that person’s response? How did it make you feel sharing that news with them?

Share either some good news or bad news that you have received lately. How do you feel about this news?

LOOKING AT GOD’S WORD

The prophet Ezekiel was led into exile, along with thousands of other Jews, in 597 B.C. Later, there would be a second exile when Babylon finally destroyed Jerusalem in 587/586 C. It is just after this first exile that God calls Ezekiel. Now read Ezekiel 2:15. What was the call of Ezekiel like? (Also read Ezekiel 2:8-3:3)

To whom was God sending Ezekiel? What were these people like? Now read Ezekiel 3:11. Where were those to whom God was sending Ezekiel?

Read the following passages from Ezekiel. How was the nation of Judah rebelling against God?

Read Ezekiel 33:10-11. What was God’s desire when he sent Ezekiel to His children in exile? What was the response of the people? What are we told of God’s love for His people?

Have you ever been obstinate and stubborn like these Israelites? Now read Romans 3:23-24 and 6:23. What message of law has God spoken in these passages? What message of Gospel does he speak in these same passages?

Now, as a forgiven child of God, Christ is calling you as His disciple to reach out in love to those who are rebelling against God in the same way that Ezekiel did. (See Matthew 28:16-20.) Read 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. What response does Paul say we can expect as we try to speak the truth in love to those who do not know Christ?

According to Paul in Timothy 2:24-26, how are we to speak to those who are separated from God because of sin?

REINFORCING WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED

What is the most difficult thing about sharing the truth with someone who is rebelling against God?

Do you know of someone who is separated from God’s love? As a group, identify positive ways in which you might be able to speak the truth of God’s love to them.

CLOSING

Have participants form groups of two. Identify someone you know who needs to hear of God’s love. Pray for that person and ask God to give you a chance to share the Gospel of Christ with them in a loving and caring way.